the formative years

I am eating my Thanksgiving meal right now, which actually isn't half bad. It consists of a package of Wasa crackers, Brunch Schnittlauch Buttermilch spread, and a fresh brewed cup of coffee in my favorite Tasse. I also have a Gala apple, and maybe some candy corn for dessert. We'll see how much I can handle. A feast!
I've been doing my best to cut down my pop intake. (And it is POP. Not SODA.) Over here I'm a big fan of Spezi, which is half Fanta, half Coke. But I figure in the past few years I've consumed enough Mt. Dew to put me on the verge of a diabetic coma many, many times over. I guess someone actually told Julia that they found a candy store which sells "the Dew". She said "Don't tell Becca! Getting away from that was the best thing about her coming here!"
I'd have to agree. The thought of Mt. Dew makes me nauseous, actually.
Anyway, I haven't had any pop in 3 days. Now, I just drink coffee, which I'm sure is horrible for me in an entirely different way.
Oh well, it's comforting and suger-free. Coffee reminds me of my father.
Another thing I've noticed is how comforting the sound of clicking heels is. I think that goes back to when I was little, because clicking heels always meant that MOMMY WAS HOME FROM WORK. And that was just the best.
It still means that, but instead of running to give her a hug and show her what I fingerpainted that day, I'm usually nagging her for food or the keys to the car.

I leave for Paris at 17:57, which is roughly in 3 hours. I get into Paris at 23:40, so almost 6 hours on the train. Bah. I was originally going to leave tomorrow morning, but my only Thursday class got magically canceled, so now I get all day Friday and Saturday to terrorize the French. Magnifique!
I asked Lisa what we'd be doing and the list included sightseeing, drinking Strongbow and really good 2 Euro wine, going out for her birthday, and going to lunch with some family friends of hers (who are super French). I am so so so excited.
This will also be nice because she's one of my very best friends at U of M. She lived across the hall from me freshman year and we're living together next year as well. It will be so nice to see her and she's already been in Paris a few months, so I'll have an amazing guide.
AHHHHH

Last weekend was absolutely adorable as well. I've been so starved for music that it was so nice to just sing my pants off the entire time. I absolutely love the Alto parts in all the music we're singing. I just love being an Alto, overall. It's more challenging, and we never really sound screechy.
We were in two "Huette" right in the middle of some little town in the Schwarzwald and rehearsed in the music room of a Grundschule (like an elementary school) nearby. It was very relaxing, other than the stress of having to constantly be speaking auf Deutsch. My head starts to hurt after awhile.
The experience was really the most German thing I've ever been involved with, which was almost more rewarding than making music for hours and hours. Breakfast was bread, wurst, cheese, coffee, and tea. Lunch was always the largest meal and then dinner was usually just soup and bread. On Saturday night we made "Gluehwein" which is absolutely spectacular. It's hot wine with various cinnamon and other spices added in. Lecker.
I also played my first game of German Scrabble. It was actually Ben, Adam and me against Claudia. We told her we were all allowed to cheat, but she wasn't because she was actually German and therefore had the advantage. Various Germans would wander over and do their best to help us. Thanks to "Gaumen" (the word for the upper part of your mouth?) Ben won. Psh. I got stuck with Q. And he would not have known that word on his own.
We also played a ridiculous game of Obstsalat (otherwise known as Musical Chairs). I accidentally didn't get up for "Who has already been in America" because I was zoning out. I got some funny looks.
Someone also said "Who is a real tenor" and absolutely no one stood up. Haha.
I think I also proved myself to the Alto section. Now they all know that yes, I CAN speak their language, I just have to be forced into it. And by the end of the weekend people sitting next to me were asking where to breathe in the music, where certain crescendos were, etc. Everyone was amazingly nice and so interested in why I'm in Freiburg and where I learned to sing.
Ben and I also were wearing Michigan tees on Saturday night and trying to explain to the Germans how important the OSU game was. We were met with a lot of blank expressions. Ben was receiving text messages from Alex who was back in Freiburg watching the game on the Internet.
So, I may have been in-the-middle-of-nowhere Deutschland, but I still knew what was going on with Michigan football.

Alright, maybe I should being packing. But first, I'm going to say what I'm thankful for, which you can write on a tablecloth, Mom.
I am thankful for the presence my grandparents had in my youth. It was far better than any day care and because of them, I learned how to sew, canoe, make amazing cookies, sing ridiculous songs, and most importantly, to learn how to love to read.
I am also thankful that Grandma never let us watch The Simpsons. I feel more intelligent because of it.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I will return on Sunday night, hopefully wearing a beret and filled with crepes.
Oh. SO cliche....